


no surprises

by missmeparadox



Series: teenage disasters [2]
Category: Smosh
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Polyamory, Teenage Disasters AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-20 22:57:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14271357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missmeparadox/pseuds/missmeparadox
Summary: Wes is supposed to be the happy one.or, How to Support and Love Your Partner In Times of Distress (Given You Are Also In Distress).





	no surprises

Wes Johnson had pretty much thrived on a steady mantra of “show no weakness” since he turned twelve and realized that being a nerdy kid suddenly wasn’t cool anymore. Like it or not, high school was a game of survival, and even if the dark clothes and long bangs kept the less persistent bullies at bay, Wes’ ability to simply keep his mouth shut had probably saved him more than a handful of times by his sixteenth birthday.

The strategy had basically gone to shit the moment he met Joven and the others.

Now, Wes was fairly sure that he could do just about anything without fear of facing rejection or judgement; He wasn’t the odd man out, because they all were. Wes could laugh, and snort, and do horrible impressions, and was continually shown nothing but love in return. It was pretty awesome, the way it felt to be loved. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t fall into old habits.

After years of silent family dinners, nightly interrogations about his grades, and hidden breakdowns, Wes became and excellent liar.

“You okay?” Sohinki is saying in his ear. They’re squashed like sardines in the back of the Ovenshire’s car, and Wes nods mutely, because why wouldn’t he be?

He doesn’t mention that his parents had left him alone on a school night again, or that he would rather dive out of the car into the street than stay in that empty house again.

When Wes is dropped off, after watching the two others speed off toward Flitz’s place, he gets nearly ten feet into the door when the tears start.

It’s almost like the worst kind of game imaginable, seeing how long he can go in the silence. The idea of calling anyone is unthinkable; Wes is supposed to be the happy one, the one who smiles and doesn’t invite others into his problems. Maverick the Stuffed Dragon looks at him with something almost like pity when he slumps into bed, even though it’s only six o clock and he really should eat.

The knock at the front door echoes through the house. It’s more of a formality, Wes thinks to himself, as the door swings open and the sound of footsteps leads towards his bedroom. Sometimes he regrets having told his friends where he keeps the spare key. Sohinki must have picked up on something, or maybe he’s just not as good at hiding as he thinks he is.

“Wes?” Mari calls out before opening his door anyways. Her face drops slightly when she takes in the sight of him. She must have just come from ballet, hair still tied back and shoes in her bag.

“Hi,” he manages to choke out before letting the tears go.

Wes hates crying. Mari knows this, because she’s the best one to call when he feels like this. She doesn’t press him, just lets him breathe and wheeze into the pillows and joins him on the bed. Her fingers comb through his hair and rub his shoulders, and he can make out her talking if he concentrates.

“You don’t have to hold it in,” Mari tells him, “you don’t have to be afraid of me.”

“I’m sorry,” he manages. Mari frowns above him and brings them closer together, arching over him protectively and shielding him from the last light of day. They could have stayed like that for hours, probably, if Wes didn’t know what would come next.

“Do you want me to call the guys over?” She asks gently. He knows she’s overwhelmed. Mari may get emotions, but Joven and Flitz are the real nurturers in the group. The idea of more people seeing him break down makes the lump in Wes’ throat harder to swallow around.

“Not yet,” he concedes. He doesn’t know what she tells their group chat, only that she tosses her phone to the foot of the bed and ignores the buzzing in favor of facing him again.

“What do you need right now?” She asks him. It’s one of the games they play when Sohinki dissociates, sometimes. In the past, the solutions could have included anything from sleep, to sex, to a sandwich.

“It’s cold,” Wes tells her.

Fifteen minutes later, they’re both sitting in the largest bathtub in the house in their underwear. Wes’ tears mix with the hot water, and Mari’s makeup runs with the steam. She’s cross-legged across from him, and hasn’t made a single move to touch anything but his hair and face. Some nights are best reserved for crying, he guesses.

“Sohin and Joven might pick up Lasercorn,” she tells him, “and we can all stay with you tonight?” It’s more of a question than she probably intended it to be, but she stares him down all the same and patiently waits for a response.

“Okay,” Wes says. The ice in his chest cracks at the offer.

“We love you,” Mari says, this time not sounding at all like a question. She speaks like it’s the truth, like it’s a promise.

“Thank you,” Wes tells her earnestly, and closes his eyes and breathes. Tonight, it may be enough.


End file.
